Water spray attachment for rock drills and the like



Feb, 18, 1941. A.' G. LEASE WATER SPRAY ATTACHMENT FOR ROCK DRILLS AND THE LIKE Filed July 25, 1939 uw m6,@ ,m La, fm my 4wd! Patented Feb. 18, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WATER SPRAY ATTACHMENT FOR ROCK DRILLS ANDl THE LIKE 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in water spray attachm-ents for rock drillsv and the like, and involves more specifically a modication of the conventional pneumatic or mechanical rock d-rill vto receive an attachment by which the drill is equipped with an external water spray device, wherein the water spray is directed in and about the drilling tool in a novel manner.

The purpose of the invention is to 4create Ia denitive Water barrage in impingement against the drilling tool from one or more sides at points above the extreme cutting edge o'f fthe tool whereby the liquid spray is fdeiiected from the tool and in and about the opening made by the tool, to the end of creating a spray in liquid form positioned and directed to intercept the dust rising from -the drilling operation whereby to absorb and allay such dust and to minimize the dust breathing hazards in drilling and breaking operations.

While I have heretofore referred to `the invention as a part of the equipment of a rockvdrill it will be understood that lthe same is equally appli-cable to paving breakers -or pluggers, to drifters and stopers, to rock breakers and to any forms 25 of tools which are adapted to raise dust as an incident to their operation.

i A further object of the invention is to utilize the side rods of the conventional pneumatic or mechanical rock drills for forming conduits for the water sprays, and to otherwise maintain the simplicity of theattachment by the addition of on'ly ysuch few parts as are necessary for coupling the spray device to a source of water or other liquid and to the control of the operation of the f spray device.

` In one phase of the invention, a further object is to provide for fthe automatic control of the water spray coincident with the operation of vibration of the drilling tool.

In another phase of the invention, it is an object to provide a separate control independent of the rtool vibration control for turning on and oi the water spray and for limiting the amount of the liquid delivered to the spray nozzles.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the Iclaims appended hereto.

In the drawing, wherein like symbols refer to 50 like or corresponding parts throughout ythe several views.

Figure 1 is -a side elevation, withparts broken away and parts shown in section, of an improved water spray attachment for rock drills constructi ed in accordance with the present invention.

(Cl. Z55-49) Figure 2 is a front elevation of the same, with parts broken away an'd parts shown in section, and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical section showing the head of a drill with a separate independent water control.

Referring more .particularly to the drawing, I designates two hollow side rods which communicate at their upper ends with hollow plugs 2. The plugs 2 -constitute water inlet connections.

The inlet of water is under the control of a spring-pressed valve 3 in the form of invention shown in Figures 1 and 2, in which case the action of the water spray is automatic with the operation of vibrating the drilling tool; or as in the form shown `in Figure 3 a needle valve controlsk the inlet of the water, such needle valve being hand adjustable. A tube 5 connects the two plugs 2. A striking bar 6 is carried by the throttle valve lever 8 on the handle 9. Such striking bar 6, in the single form or embodiment of the invention shown in Figures l and 2, projects at substantially right angles from the throttle lever 8, and is bent down at its outer free end portion, as shown more particularly in Figure 2, to enable the striking Ibar 6 to engage and depress the plunger ID of the valve 3. The valve 3 is urged upwardly against its seat by a coil spring I I. The Valve 3 is carried in -a valve casing I2 having communication with one of the hollow plugs 2. To the valve casing is connected in any suitable manner la hose I3 or other connection leading from a source of water or other appropriate liquid suplly- The plugs 2 are closed 'at their upper ends and at their sides and are open at their lower ends, such lower ends being internally screwthreaded to mate with and to screw upon the upper external threaded ends of the hollow rods I. Such screw-threaded connections are shown at I4.

The lower ends of the rods I project through the usual plugs I5 and 4are surrounded by the coil springs I6, the upper ends of which engage the lugs I5 while the lower ends are Iconnedby the nuts I'I. The hollow rods I extend 'through the springs IB and nuts II and have their internal bores opening freely and uninterruptedly through the lower ends of the rods I. At the lower extremities of the rods I such rods are drilled at an angle, as indicated at I8, to provide nozzles for the projection and direction of the water sprays indicated generally at I9.

The points of impingement of the water sprays I9 against the drilling tool I are indicated at 20.

At 2l liquid streams are shown paralleling the axis of the drilling tool 1 along such tool; and at 22 are represented outwardly divergent streams of liquid caused by the angular impingement of the sprays I9 against the walls of the drilling tool 'I. In other words the streams 22 are reflected streams coming off the drilling tool at angles substantially equal to the angles of incidence at which the sprays I9 strike the lateral walls of Ithe drilling tool 1.

Referring more particularly to Figure 3, 23 represents a hose, pipe or other conduit of ru-bber, metal or other suitable form having therein a gooseneck or curve portion 24 in order to bring the extremity of the hose down axially within the plug 2a where such end is flanged as indicated at 25 in order to be swivelly supported and held in place by the nut 26. The other hollow plug 2a may be closed by a threaded stopper 21 instead of having an integral to-p wall as in the case of Figures 1 and 2.

The pneumatic hose is represented in Figures 1 and 2 at28 for supplying the motive medium for actuating the drill tool 'I, normally a rapidly vibratory motion.

Although both rods I have been shown as utilized for water sprays, it will be understood that either one or both of the side rods may be employed as Water sprays and the automatic or the hand control of the water spray may be used selectively as desired.

In operation, the water connection I3 to the valve 3 may be a standard hose tting which can be varied with the size of the hose and water connections to be used. Thewater enters through the hose connection I3 and is arrested by the valve 3 which is normally seated by the automatic action of its spring II. When the throttle lever 8 is pressed open, the spring valve striking bar 6 presses down upon the valve plunger Ill, opening the valve 3 and permitting water to ow at the same instant that the machine begins operation.

The water flows into the water connection plug 2,`thence down through hollow rod I, and out nozzle I8 into-the projected spray I 9. If both rods I are used, then through the connecting tube 5 water from the one plug 2, to which the valve and hose connection I3 are attached, flows to the other plug 2.

In other words it is only necessary to have the supply hose connection to one of the plugs 2. By means of the connecting tube 5 the liquid will flow to the companion plug 2. The angularity of the nozzles I8 may be changed as desired depending upon how far down on the drill steel 'I the flow of water is desired. It is of course not necessary to actually bend the lower ends I8 of the hollow rods I. The same purpose can be effected by drilling the hole at an angle to the axis of the rod. In the form of invention shown in Figure 2 there is provided a two-way water feed.

The water spray I9 together with its consequent streams 2| and 22 will minimize the dust breathing hazard when used on any type of rock drill, paving breaker, or rock breaker which is ordinarily used dry for breaking rock, trimming walls or for any other gadding purpose. There is a great reduction of dust particles in the air when this spray device is used.

The invention is shown as useful also on wet internal water feed rock drills, as at times rotation is taken out of these machines and a solid gad or drill steel inserted and used; whereupon an external water spray directed at the cutting point of the drill bit or gad is necessary to efciently and effectively settle the dust created by the drilling or gadding operation.

This invention is constructed to eliminate the possibility of compressed air entering the water feed. In the ordinary wet type of rock drill now in general use employing an internal water feed, there .is a certain amount of leakage of compressed air around the water needle and between the piston and cylinder wall, with the resulting effect of water and air combining and producing an atomvized spray at the point of the drill steel. When this result occurs it is very disadvantageous for the reason that entrapped air bubbles frequently carry dust particles.

The invention utilizes simply a flow of Water in the absence of compressed air. The only pressure present is the water pressure in the water line. The machine can be operated on a very low water pressure because of the small orifices in the side rod tubes I. The flooding operation of the water in this device tends to immediately settle out all dust of the size generated by the operation of the machine.

As shown in Figure 2 the spray of water I9 strikes the drill steel 'I and follows the steel along the lines 2I to the hole. This also tends to create a splash around the hole, settling the dust not by an atomized spray but by direct flooding. According to the invention, the stream of water 2I follows the drill 'I into the hole. Also the invention is constructed to spray in a confined area at the cutting tool of the drill steel or gad, at which point the spray creates an impenetrable surface of water through which the dust will not rise and will settle out. The invention nicely regulates the amount of water to be used as too little water will not settle the dust, while too much water creates a sloppy condition with consequent discomfort to the operator.

The present invention has the further added advantage that the water conduits are the side rods which are a part of the drill itself, and therefore there is no equipment to be broken by dropping the machine. The invention has the further advantage that the water spray is back far enough from the fronthead of the machine so `that there is little danger of the orices becoming clogged by dropping the machine in mud or dirt. Once regulated, the external water flood will not be changed due to severe or rough handling of the machine in drilling.

The invention eliminates the hazards of the use of the atomized type of spray in that it settles the dust at the source and does not create a fog, assuring the operator of the drill clear visibility at all times.

An advantage of the invention is that very little additional weight is added to the machine. Also there are very few additional parts required. Moreover these parts can be readily added to .existing forms of machines without requiring modifications in constructions of such machines. Therefore the invention is simple and economical.

It will be noted that the water feed is entirely separate from all parts of the drill or paving breaker, and compressed air does not at any time mix with the constant flow of water while the drill or breaker is in operation. The automatic control assures the operator a maximum of protection from dust hazards at all times from the moment the drill or breaker begins operation. 'I'his automatic .control i's also advantageous as combining in a single control the governing 2,232,817 mechanism both for the machine and water spray in which both actions begin simultaneously.

Due to the small diameter of the orices in the side rod tubes I, the water spray attachment can be operated equally as ecently with low water pressure as when the water pressure is high.

As a matter of manufacture, the two side rods which are found in all pneumatic drills and paving breakers, being solid, are replaced by two hollow tubes I of the same size having the same tensile strength as the original solid sidel rods. Thus these side rod tubes I serve a double purpose: first, they hold the machine together in the same manner as the solid side rods; and secondly, they act as transport tubes to carry water to the front end of the pneumatic rock drill or paving breaker.

In accordance with the invention, the moment the machine stops operation, the operator is assured a dry machine to handle. Experiments demonstrate that the invention is very effective in reducing the dust hazard.

It is obvious that Various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted only by the scope of the following claims:

What is claimed is:

1. In a rock drill and the like having side rods and a drilling tool, conduits in said side rods opening at the ends toward said tool and focused -ing communication between the interior spaces of said hollow plugs, a source of external liquid supply to one of said plugs, and valve means for l controlling the supply of liquid from the source to said plug.

i 2 In a rock drill and the like having a drilling tool and side rods, water spray attachments comprising liquid conduits through said side rods in communication with an external source of liquid supply, said conduits having nozzle lower ends opening freely and uninterruptedly into the atmosphere and being directed annularly toward said tool at a point spaced from the operative cutting end thereof.

.3. In a rock drill and the like having side rods vand a drilling tool, conduits in said side rods opening at the ends toward said tool and focused toward the lower end portion of said tool at points spaced from the operative extremity of the tool, hollow plugs in communication with the upper ends of the conduits, a tube secured between said side rods for establishing communication between the interior spaces of said hollow plugs, a source of external liquid supply to one of said plugs, and valve means for controlling the supply of liquid from the source to said plug.

ART G. LEASE. 

